AUDIONET Stern Preamplifier

SCIENTIST SERIES – ULTIMATE MACHINE STERN

Designed by German design legend Hartmut Esslinger of Cupertino fame, our new über-performance preamp STERN combines Audionet’s unique electronics, stratosphere version, with a design quality that has not been seen in the realms of highenddom before.

The patented FLOATING PANE DESIGN encorporates the ultimate audiophile qualities.
One amp to rule them all – STERN rises high above anything, anywhere – even our serial show winner PRE G2 (2015 “best sound” at RMAF, AXPONA, T.H.E.SHOW and HIGHEND).

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Special features STERN

• Magnetically and capactively optimized circuit and device design without any ferro-magnetic materials.
• Floating Pane Design for optimal resistance against microphonic effects and temperature stability.
• The floating panels of the body are resonance-optimized by pads on an aluminum frame.
• Mounting and bolted assembly of transformers made of stainless steel.
• Double mono layout of circuitry and power supply for maximum channel separation.
• Air Flow Design circuit boards for an optimum of cooling and stable quiescent currents.
• Galvanic separation of all analog circuits by opto couplers.
• The input and output sections as well as the volume control are implemented using enhanced, discrete Audionet operational amplifier modules with state-of-the-art mica capacitors.
• Rhodium Cinch jacks by Furutech.
• Volume controller on a double ball-bearing axis and with magnetic ratchet and optical sensing.
• Volume controlled by electronic switches and real-time linearized precision resistor network.
• DC coupled with no sound diminishing capacitors or coils, shortest signal paths.
• One separate transformer per channel for the positive and negative half wave, leading to the perfect power supply.
• Four encapsulated and decoupled 50 VA toroid transformers.
• Main power supply capacitors 22,000 µF, optimized for very low impedance and made with silk dielectric.
• Total capacitance of 176,000 µF.
• Microprocessor control with separate power supply monitor and control of all functions, informing the user on a high resolution display.
• By-Pass mode for integration into home cinema systems.
• Audionet Link outputs for the remote control of further Audionet devices.
• User definable names for each input, input levels adjustable for each input.
• User selectable function to remove DC levels from signal sources.
• Rhodium fuse.

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In- and Outputs

Inputs:

• 4 pair RCA line, Rhodium (Furutech)
• 2 pair XLR balanced, gold plated (Neutrik)
• 1 D Sub 9 serial port (control only)
• 1 SMA for WLAN (control only)

Outputs:

• 2 pair Cinch line, Rhodium (Furutech)
• 1 pair Cinch inverted, Rhodium (Furutech)
• 2 pair XLR balanced, gold plated (Neutrik)
• 2 Audionet Link, optical
• 1 connector, gold plated, for additional earth connection

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Specifications

Frequency response:
0–2,200,000 Hz (-3 dB), DC coupled
0.3–2,200,000 Hz (-3 dB), AC coupled

THD+N:
<-104 dB @ 20 kHz
<-116 dB @ 1 kHz

SNR:
> 123 dB, 4 V_RMS

Channel separation:
>144 dB, 20–20,000 Hz

Output impedance:
24 Ω real (Cinch line)
48 Ω real (XLR)

Output current:
max. 60 mA

Power consumption:
< 0.5 W stand by, typ. 100 W

Mains:
220..240 V or 110..120 V, 50..60 Hz, Rhodium (Furutech)

Dimensions:
Vertical:
Width 270 mm
Height 500 mm
Depth 505 mm

Horizontal:
Width 450 mm
Height 320 mm
Depth 505 mm

Weight:
38 kg